Neverland: The Grand Adventure
by Harlequin Law
Summary: Monkey D. Luffy invites Nico Robin to join his group of 'lost boys'. On a magical island with pirates, marines and wild beasts; follow him on his fantastic adventure. No pairings.
1. Nico Robin

So I had this idea after hearing Ruth B. - Lost Boy and I thought a One Piece/Peter Pan crossover would be fun. I took the original story from James Barrie for the backbone of the story, so there is a lot of the original story in place. It also includes bits from Hook, Pan, Peter Pan and the Tinkerbell series.

 **Peter Pan - James Barrie**

 **Lost Boy - Ruth B.**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot points are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Nico Robin**

All children, except one, grow up.

They soon discover that they will grow up, and the way Robin found out was this. One day when she was three years old she was playing in the garden, and she picked a flower and delivered it to her mother. She must have looked rather lovely, for Olivia Nico put her hand to her heart and cried, "Oh, why must time take you away from me?!" This was all that was ever said on the subject, but from then on Robin knew that she must grow up. You always know after you are three. Three is the beginning of the end. At least that is what Robin grew to believe.

Life of a single mother during the early 20th Century was difficult, and Ohara, Russia was no exception. Somehow, Olivia Nico managed to diminish whatever it was she thought their lives were missing, though Robin who knew life no differently, was sure things were just fine. The happiness of those times! Unfortunately, those times did not last for Olivia became ill during Robin's 9th winter and passed away the following spring.

 _There was a time when I was alone  
Nowhere to go and no place to call home  
My only friend was the man in the moon  
And even sometimes he would go away, too_

Robin was then moved to a local orphanage run by a kind woman named Makino. Soon times became happy once again until the coming of Monkey D. Luffy.

Makino first heard of Luffy when she was tidying up Robin's mind. I don't know whether you have ever bore witness to the map of a person's mind. There are jagged lines on it, and these are probably makeshift roads on the island, for Neverland is always more or less an island, with breathtaking splashes of color here and there, coral reefs and smart-looking craft in the lagoon, and pirates and lonely lairs, and gnomes who are mostly cobblers, and sparkling caverns through which a river runs, and princes with twelve elder brothers, and tall out-of-the-way towers, and one tiny old lady with a hooked nose and cauldron. Along with ancient trees that seemed to touch the clouds, crystal blue-green waters, snow-capped mountains and foliage plentiful with fruits ripe for the picking.

Of course, Neverland varies a good deal depending upon the imagination of the child. On these magical shores children at play are forever beaching their boats...which are quickly forgotten. We too have been there; we can still hear the sound of the surf, though we shall land no more.

Of all inviting islands, Neverland is the snuggest and most compact, not large and sprawled out, with long distances between one adventure and the next, but nicely crammed together. Occasionally in her travels through this child's mind Makino found things she could not understand, and of these the most disconcerting was the word Luffy. She knew of no Luffy, and yet he was. The name stood out in bolder letters than any of the other words, and as Makino gazed she felt that it had an oddly arrogant appearance.

"Yes, he is rather audacious," Robin admitted with regret. Her guardian had been questioning her.

"But who is he, my dear?"

"You know, he is Monkey D. Luffy."

At first Makino did not know, but after thinking back into her childhood she remembered a Monkey D. Luffy who was said to live with the fairy folk. There were old stories about him, as that when children died he went part of the way with them, so that they would not be frightened or get lost. She had believed in him at the time, but now that she was older and full of sense, she quite doubted whether there was any such person.

"Besides," she said to Robin, "he should be grown up by this time."

"Oh no, he hasn't grown up," Robin assured her confidently, "he is just my size." But it would not blow over and soon the troublesome boy gave Makino quite a shock. "He resides in Neverland and is said to live with the fairies. Do fairies really have tails? Do they even exist... Like them this place as eternal mystery... A never ending adventure"

Children have the strangest adventures without being troubled by them. For instance, they may remember to mention, a week after the event happened, that when they were in the wood they had met a slender man and had a game with him. It was in this casual way that Robin one morning made an unnerving revelation. Some leaves of a tree had been found on the bedroom floor, which certainly were not there when she went to bed, and Makino was puzzling over them when Robin said with a tolerant smile:

"I do believe it is Luffy again!"

"What do you mean, Robin?"

"It is terribly naughty of him not to wipe his feet," Robin said, sighing. She was an orderly child.

She explained in quite a matter-of-fact way that she thought Luffy sometimes came to the bedroom in the night and sat at the foot of her bed and sang nonsense songs to her. Unfortunately she never woke, so she didn't know how she knew, she just knew.

"What foolishness you talk. No one can get into the house without knocking."

"I think he comes in through the window," she said.

"Oh my, it is two floors up."

"The leaves were at the foot of the window, ma'am?"

It was quite true; the leaves had trailed from the window seat into the room, through the window.

Makino did not know what to think, for it all seemed so natural to Robin that you could not dismiss it by saying she had been dreaming.

 _Oh, surely she must have been dreaming._

Yet still, there were the leaves. Makino examined them carefully; they were skeleton leaves, but she was sure they did not come from any tree that grew in Ohara. She crawled about the floor, peering at it with a light for any sign of footprints. She rattled a poker up the chimney and tapped on the walls. She let down a tape from the window to the pavement, and it was a straight drop of twenty feet, without so much as a spout to climb up by.

 _Certainly Robin had been dreaming._

But Robin had not been dreaming, as the very next night proved, the night on which the extraordinary adventures of this child may be said to have truly begun.

On the night we speak of Robin was once more in bed. Makino had given her a bath and sung to her till Robin had let go of her hand and slid away into the land of sleep. Robin was looking so safe and cozy that she smiled at her fears and sat down by the fire to read.

The fire was warm, however, and the bedroom dimly lit by a night-light, with a book laying across Makino's lap. Then her head nodded, once, then twice. She was asleep. There should have been a second night-light.

The dream by itself would have been inconsequential, but while she was dreaming the window of the bedroom blew open, and a boy did drop onto the floor. He was accompanied by a peculiar light, no bigger than your fist, which darted about the room like a living thing and I think it must have been this light that woke Makino.

She quickly sat up, and saw the boy, and somehow she knew at once that he was Monkey D. Luffy. He was a lovely boy, clad in brown shorts, a yellow vest with a straw hat strung around his neck and appeared to be no older than 11 or 12. A mop of obsidian hair stuck up all over his head and when he noticed her, large mocha eyes were what she saw before they narrowed in her direction. When he saw she was an adult, he bowed politely before crouching into a defensive pose as he gnashed his teeth at her.

Makino screamed, before her body gave a jerk and she was wrestled from the dream that she had been in. Looking around the bedroom, she no longer saw a strange boy…just a peaceful Robin laying in her bed. Makino rose from the chair and headed off to bed, as it was late and Robin had school in the morning…forgetting the dream almost instantly.

* * *

There are 5 references to other works...hope you were able to spot them. R&R

 **ORIGINAL POSTING DATE:** June 30, 2016

 **WORD COUNT:** 1,416


	2. Lost Boys

_"A flower can't choose the place where it blooms, and a child can't choose the parents they're born to."_ \- Erza Scarlet

 **Chapter 2: Lost Boys**

Lost boys come in many shapes and sizes and from different times and places, but they must always be lost and they must always be boys.

Monkey D. Luffy was always looking for a new adventure, and someone new to share it with. It had been a long time since he had come of age on Neverland, and he had found some amazing mates to share his experiences with. He had been born on Neverland, but his parents had both vanished while he was still young. He decided that he wanted to live freely and be able to do whatever he wanted so he stayed hidden away in the woods. He spent many days and nights traveling around the island, living in the forests, mountains and jungles. Learning how to fight and hide and live. When he stumbled across the home of the fairies, he also learned how to fly and be a proper gentleman.

 _I am a lost boy from Neverland_  
 _Usually hanging out with Luffy_  
 _And when we're bored we play in the woods_  
 _Always on the run from Captain Smoker_  
 _"Run, run, lost boy," they say to me_  
 _Away from all of reality_

 _Neverland is home, to lost boys like me_

 _And lost boys like me, are free_

Sometime during the 17th Century, Luffy came upon a boy with a most unusual characteristic. His hair was a distinct shade of green that he had never see on another human. The boy was being held captive by a rival family in what was left of Shimotsuki Village. After watching him for a while Luffy approached him, "I like your mystery hair. Is it natural or have you found some way of making it green?"

"If you want to ask questions, it's important to introduce yourself first, I'm Zoro."

"Oh, your name is also a novelty," came Luffy's reply, though Zoro looked unimpressed with his observation.

Then he offered the boy a place by his side. "Come with me, Monkey D. Luffy…Neverland has no wars, we decide if and when we want to fight and there are no stations in life to restrict you from doing what you want. It's a grand place and we'll have many adventures together."

Zoro was rather aloof and well into becoming a young man of his time when Luffy found him. He had spent many years training with a sword to become a samurai as every male in his family had before him, studying under the renown Li family of China who were said to be descendants of Fa Mulan. The marines on Neverland had swords, so Luffy thought it would be grand if Zoro could teach him how to use one so they could fight the marines on equal ground. He was stronger than most of the adults on Neverland, as very few could match him physically and no one could match his sword skills. Zoro was also big for his age and after living on Neverland for a while, his growth stopped as Luffy's had, which had greatly pleased Luffy…thus Zoro's need for long afternoon naps. Time had always seemed to flow differently on Neverland. A few days in Neverland equaled a few months in our world. Luffy and Zoro went on many adventures together before the next boy in their group was made known to them.

Luffy literally stumbled across the next boy at Syrup Village around 50 years later. He had assumed such a village would have good food due to its name and had planned to bring back a lot for himself and Zoro, but it had been ransacked by slavers who had taken the able and killed the rest. During his inspection, he had tripped over a boy about his age lying on the ground injured. Luffy had never known hair could be so curly, especially on a boy. Though, that in no way compared to the long nose the boy had protruding from his face. Later this boy would influence the tale of the puppet Pinocchio, whose nose grew when he lied.

Usopp jumped up and threatened Luffy with an attack from his 8,000 friends, which caused Luffy to smile widely before he broke out into a hearty laugh, "Your lie is pretty believable, anything else you're good at?" Luffy quickly dodged the rock that had flown in his direction from the slingshot in the boys hand. "You'll definitely be handy as a sniper, my friend. You should come with me to Neverland. It looks as though there is nothing left here for you. We could play games and fight marines everyday. Go swimming in the lagoon with the mermaids and hunt for treasure with the pirates." Usopp's eyes grew wide as the information sunk in. He obviously thought it to be a lie, before he saw the seriousness in Luffy's eyes. The second eternal lost boy was found.

Next came a gangly boy roughly the same age as Zoro with tawny-colored eyes and golden hair that hung neatly across one eye. The boys had been playing on the beach, when Luffy felt a tug in the direction of the mainland. In the Tyrrhenian Sea, he found a boy who had washed up on the shore of an island that was close to where the Baratie usually anchored, lost and alone. After Luffy startled him, the boy landed a well-placed kick to the flying boy before taking a look at his surroundings. He sighed deeply as he realized that he was now alone on this apparently deserted island, far from the beauties on the ship, all except for this flying boy who was grinning like he knew the answers to all the questions.

Sanji scowled back at the floating boy, before realization hit that this was no normal kid. He wondered where the boy had come from since he didn't remember seeing him upon the ship.

"Who are you and what do you want?" came the accusatory remark.

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy and I'm here for you," as if that was all the explanation necessary. Sanji looked unimpressed but told Luffy his name to be polite.

"Oh, by the way Sanji…what year is it?" Sanji was momentarily surprised by the request. Did this kid live under a rock, or was he also a castaway on this lost island? "It's the year 1801." Luffy looked thoughtful for a moment,

"Really…it's been longer than I thought since I was here last." A large grin spread across his face, "Well, let's not waste anymore time here, Sanji." The third eternal boy was found.

The youngest lost boy almost missed his chance. The other lost boys had told Luffy that they didn't believe that he could bring back snow from the mainland before it melted into water. He of course had scoffed and declared that he would bring back a whole bag of snow. So he had proceeded to fly over the Beaufort Sea on his trip to Drum Island, which had snow all year round, and rumored to be caused by an evil snow queen. He had quickly filled his sack with snow, but the freezing temperatures were something Luffy wasn't accustomed too and soon the cold was affecting his ability to fly. In time, the young doctor in training came across Luffy in the snow, suffering from hypothermia and nearing frostbite. Who else would be dressed for summer with no shoes on a winter island? Luffy was so impressed with his skills, he overlooked the fact that the kid was a few years younger than him and a bit of a crybaby still.

Chopper was a very welcome and needed addition to the bunch of misfit boys. Being able to keep the boys healthy was important, not only for their play but for when things got serious. After a while, Luffy warmed up to the idea of having someone younger around who looked up to him. He was of an odd sort, keeping his nose painted blue and wearing a pink hat…short and chubby for his age. Chopper believed any tale told to him by Usopp and tended to keep close to Zoro during their adventures. Sanji and him spent a lot of time together, looking for healing herbs while they found various fruits and such for meals. The fourth truly eternal boy was found.

Blue hair and hazel eyes were what first drew Luffy's attention to the next boy. The boys who drew Luffy's interest were always so intriguing, with much promise. Each with a unique ability or skill…and each lost in their own way. This one lived upon a floating city in the Atlantic Ocean, which would one day become the rumored advanced city of Atlantis. Delightful sea creatures were the main means of transportation and Luffy had wanted one to ride around the lagoons in, since he had never learned how to swim. Chopper was trying to learn, but he tended to sink like a rock. As Luffy searched for a yagara of his own, he found the blue-haired boy constructing a ship, out on what was known as scrap island. Amazed at his mechanical abilities, Luffy immediately invited him to join his crew…stating that they needed someone to build them a ship so they could battle the marines on Neverland properly.

Franky had lived at Water 7 since he was a little boy, after being abandoned by his folks. A few years prior, he had been left to his own and formed a sort of gang of kids that mostly dismantled ships. It kept everyone out of trouble and they were able to somewhat support themselves as a group. Unfortunately, some of the adults at the shipyard didn't appreciate the competition and managed to capture most of the group and sold them to a workhouse. Franky was in an angry way when Luffy found him, lost to his thoughts with only his friend Iceberg left. Luffy even thought his prosthetics were fascinating, especially considering Franky had fashioned them himself. Luffy offered him a new purpose and Franky accepted, with a solid shove from Iceberg.

Drifting at sea is where the final lost boy was found by an equally lost Luffy. An area referred to as the Florian Triangle, covered in a dense fog is where Luffy ended up bumping into a small boat that contained a single passenger. He sat in the boat, playing a sad tune on a crudely fashioned wooden flute. The melody was a sad one so Luffy inquired to what was wrong, "Why is your song so sad?"

"I'm afraid that I've lost my way and now I've lost my shadow too. The ship I was on was sailing to the states in search of a rare golden flower when it sank. I climbed aboard this dingy and then the fog prevented me from being able to navigate. I was hoping the song would cheer me up or lead someone to find me."

This of course piqued Luffy's interest as he had lost his shadow once also. He suspected though, it was not in the same capacity as this boy. "My friend, I shall help you look for your shadow. Let us be free of this fog first and then we shall be better able to see," before holding his chin between his thumb and forefinger and nodding his head as though a very important decision had been made. Luffy pulled the boat to the nearest island, Sabaody and both boys danced on the shore when their shadows appeared. The grateful boy bowed with a flourish as he introduced himself, "Thank you so very much my friend. I go by the name Humming Brook."

Luffy floated above the sand as he pointed to himself, "I'm Monkey D. Luffy. I think you would be an excellent addition to my group. We definitely need a musician."

 _You are now my home, sweet home_  
 _Forever a lost boy at last_

* * *

 **ORIGINAL POSTING DATE:** July 5, 2016

 **WORD COUNT:** 2,001


	3. Come Away With Me

Thanks so much Everlight18 for your review! It's nice to hear from someone who isn't in my head about this story and what it's about and where it's going. I think that people are more frightened by what Luffy represents than him as a person. The story takes place during the Edwardian era, when people were expected to fit in a very specific mold. This chapter is fairly short, but then the story will progress quickly. R&R Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Come Away With Me**

Traveling to Neverland, is as much about following your heart as it is about following the directions.

Stars are beautiful, but they don't take an active part in anything. It is a punishment put on them for something they did in ancient times, as such that no star now remembers what it was. So the older ones have become glassy-eyed and seldom speak, but the little ones still wonder. They are not really friendly to Luffy, who had a mischievous way of stealing up behind them and trying to blow them out; but they are so fond of fun that they were on his side tonight, and anxious to get the adult out of the way. So as soon as Makino was sound asleep there was a commotion in the heavens, and the smallest of all the stars in the Milky Way screamed out:

"Now, Luffy!"

 _Then one night, as I closed my eyes_  
 _I saw a shadow flying high_  
 _He came to me with the sweetest smile_  
 _Told me he wanted to talk for awhile_  
 _He said, "Monkey D. Luffy, that's what they call me_

There was another light in the bedroom now, infinitely brighter than the night-light. It was not really a light; it made this light by darting about so quickly, but when it came to rest for a second you saw it was a fairy, no longer than your hand. It was a girl called Nami Bell exquisitely gowned in a skeleton leaf, flitting about the room investigating the new and wondrous things.

A moment after the fairy's entrance the window was blown open by the breathing of the little stars, and Luffy dropped in. He had carried Nami Bell part of the way, and his hand was still covered in fairy dust. Luffy could be heard singing part of a song he had made up over the years, "The islands in the north are snowy, and their heads get really cold, they're very chilly-chilly, they're all willy-nilly…and they're idiots!"

Robin had been awoken by all the ruckus and proceeded to sit and stare at Luffy and Nami for a few moments before furiously rubbing her eyes, pinching herself and then blinking at them several times before she accepted that they were really in her room. She climbed out of bed and circled around Luffy a few times before Nami became upset at her proximity and flew in her face. This halted Robin in her inspection and she quickly became enamored with the small flying fairy.

"Hello, Luffy. My name is Robin Nico. Who is this?"

"Oh, that's Nami Bell. She's a treasure fairy."

Robin was very interested in Nami and the other fairies of Neverland. Never having seen one before, she asked Luffy many questions…so he decided to tell her a bit about them.

"You see, Robin, when the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies."

"Oh, that's simply fascinating. Could Nami be my fairy?" Robin looked hopeful as her gaze drifted between Luffy and Nami.

A sharp tinkling noise was the response to which Luffy translated, "No, she refuses as she says that she is my fairy. Though I wouldn't say she is my fairy either. She gets angry with me quite often and hits me." Robin could tell that Nami was not pleased with the question as her soft yellow glow had tinged a bit red. "She's our navigator actually, since she has lived on the island so long...she knows the oceans much better than any of us. Nami makes sure that we never get lost...well all of us except Zoro," Luffy laughed at his inside joke.

Nami was not truly mad and sometimes, she was nice. Fairies have to be one thing or the other, because being so small they unfortunately have room for only one feeling at a time. They are, however, allowed to change, only it must be a complete change. At present she was full of anger towards Robin. What she said in her lovely tinkle Robin could not of course understand, and I believe some of it was bad words, but it sounded kind, and she flew back and forth, plainly stating "I will never be yours."

"Okay then Nami," I hope we can still be friends though. Nami responded with a noncommittal tinkle and continued to flutter about the room in search of anything of interest. Robin suddenly had an idea and dug around a bit in an old jewelry box that sat on her nightstand. She pulled out a pretty pair of earrings that twinkled in the moonlight. "Nami Bell? I'd really like to be friends with you, so I have a gift." Nami fluttered over to Robin, landing on her outstretched hand to appraise the earrings in her palm. They were simply lovely! Nami quickly stuffed them into her satchel, then tinkled happily in the air around Robin's head.

"I'm pretty sure you've won her over now. Anyway, we should get going, Robin."

"Where? To Neverland? How am I supposed to get there? I can't fly like you and Nami Bell."

"I'll teach you."

"Oh, how lovely to fly."

"I'll teach you how to jump on the wind's back, and away we go."

"Ooh!" she exclaimed rapturously, "I've always dreamed of seeing Neverland."

"And, Robin, there are mermaids."

"Mermaids! With tails?"

"Such long tails. With glittering scales."

"Oh," cried Robin, "to see a mermaid!"

"And you will go on fantastic adventures with us. Discover all the treasures that Neverland holds."

How could she resist. "Of course, it's so very fascinating!" she cried. "Alright then, let's go." Luffy sprinkled Robin with pixie dust and they were quickly out the window and into the sky.

"Second star to the right, and straight on till morning," Luffy instructed.

That, Luffy had told Robin, was the way to Neverland; but even birds, carrying maps and consulting them at windy corners, could not have sighted it with these instructions. Luffy, you see, just said anything that came into his head.

 _He sprinkled me in pixie dust and told me to believe_  
 _Believe in him and believe in me_  
 _Together we will fly away in a cloud of green_  
 _To your beautiful destiny_

 _As we soared above the town that never loved me_  
 _I realized I finally had a family_  
 _Soon enough we reached Neverland_  
 _Peacefully my feet hit the sand_

* * *

 **ORIGINAL POSTING DATE:** July 12, 2016

 **WORD COUNT:** 1,084


	4. Neverland

Thanks again, Everlight18 for the review! After I read it, I really looked this chapter over to consider your suggestion. The author of Peter Pan originally left Neverland fairly vague in description, I believe so that the reader could imagine it how they wished and because he states that Neverland is different in each child's imagination, so it will always look different. I think I'll leave it as it is for now and maybe flesh it out some more if I add a one-shot side story somewhere along the way. I'm thinking it might be fun to add little stories as the group grew, like when Luffy met Nami and when it was just Luffy and Zoro. Perhaps starting out with how it appears in their imagination and then how it changes to Luffy's view over time.

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Neverland**

Feeling that Luffy was on his way back, Neverland had again woke into life. In his absence things are generally quiet on the island. The fairies spend an hour longer in their beds, the beasts tend to their young, the pirates feed heavily for several days and nights, and the marines leave everyone to their business. But with the coming of Luffy, who hates inactivity, they are under way again: if you put your ear to the ground now, you would hear the whole island coming to life.

On this evening the primary forces of the island were given as follows. The lost boys were out looking for Luffy, the marines were out looking for the lost boys and particularly Luffy, the pirates were out looking for the marines, and the beasts were out looking for the pirates. They were going round and round the island, but they did not meet because all were going at the same rate. All wanted blood except the boys, who liked it as a rule, but tonight were out to greet their captain.

The first to pass is Chopper, not the least brave but the most unfortunate of all that dauntless band. He had been in fewer adventures than any of them; all would be quiet, he would take the opportunity of going off to gather a few herbs for a remedy, and then when he returned the others would be mopping up the blood. It sometimes caused him to be wary of leaving the others, for fear of the battles that would ensue during his absence. He did manage to perfect some of his practices since he had an abundance of opportunities to test his ideas.

Next comes Sanji, the debonair, followed by Brook, who cuts flutes out of the trees and dances heartily to his own tunes. Brook refers to his time before becoming a lost boy as his past life, trying to teach the others proper manners and customs. Usopp is fourth; always getting caught in the middle of the trouble whether by his own doing or someone else's. Bringing up the rear are Franky who is fiddling with his latest invention and finally Zoro, who is considered the one in command when Luffy is gone away…cautiously listening to make sure they keep their pace. Honestly, Zoro was in hopes that today was the day Luffy would return from wherever he had run off to this time. The others were getting anxious and it made his life difficult to deal with them in Luffy's absence. Sanji continually starts arguments, while the others tend to drift off in their own little world's at the worst possible moments. As they continue the march, Brook begins to play a familiar tune and soon all the boys are singing along, in hopes that Luffy will hear it and join them sooner rather than later.

 _"_ _Yo hohoho, yo hohoho_ _;_ _Yo hohoho, yo hohoho_  
 _Yo hohoho, yo hohoho_ _;_ _Yo hohoho, yo hohoho_

 _Gather up all of the crew, it's time to ship out Binks' brew._  
 _Sea wind blows, to where, who knows? The waves will be our guide._  
 _O'er across the ocean's tide. Rays of sunshine far and wide._  
 _Birds they sing, of cheerful things, in circles passing by._

 _Bid farewell to weaver's town, say so long to port renowned._  
 _Sing a song, it won't be long, before we're casting off._  
 _Cross the gold and silver seas, a salty spray puts us at ease,_  
 _Day and night, to our delight, the voyage never ends._

 _Gather up all of the crew, it's time to ship out Binks' brew._  
 _Lost boys, we eternally are challenging the sea._  
 _With the waves to rest our heads, ship beneath us as our beds,_  
 _Hoisted_ _high upon the mast, our jolly roger flies._

 _Somewhere in the endless sky, stormy winds are blowing by,_  
 _Waves_ _are dancing, evening comes, it's time to sound the drums._  
 _But steady men, and never fear, tomorrow's skies are always clear._  
 _So pound your feet and clap your hands 'til sunny days return._

 _Yo hohoho, yo hohoho_ _;_ _Yo hohoho, yo hohoho_  
 _Yo hohoho, yo hohoho_ _;_ _Yo hohoho, yo hohoho_

 _Gather up all of the crew, it's time to ship out Binks' brew._  
 _Wave goodbye, but don't you cry, our memories remain._  
 _Our days are but a passing dream, everlasting though they seem._  
 _Beneath the moon we'll meet again, the wind's our lullaby._

 _Gather up all of the crew, it's time to ship out Binks' brew._  
 _Sing a song, and play along for all the oceans wide._  
 _After all is said and done, you'll end up a skeleton,_  
 _S_ _o spread your tale from dawn 'til dusk upon these foamy seas._

 _Yo hohoho, yo hohoho…Yo hohoho, yo hohoho…_  
 _Yo hohoho, yo hohoho…Yo hohoho, yo hohoho…_ _"_

The boys vanish in the gloom that has settled on the island, and after a pause, come the marines on their trail. They can be heard before they are seen.

In the lead, the largest in that dark setting, marches Smoker. He walks with long strides full of meaning and promise, and instead of a right hand he has a hook. In manner, the military clung heavy around him, and it's been told that he was an immensely clever man. In dress, his attire reflecting his station as a high ranking military officer, having heard it said in some earlier period of his career that he bore a strange kinship to the ill-fated Montblanc's; and in his mouth he had a holder of his own creation which enabled him to smoke two cigars at once. But undoubtedly the ominous part of him was his claw of iron.

Such is the terrible man against whom Monkey D. Luffy is pitted. Which will win?

On the trail of the marines, stealing soundlessly down the war-path, which is not visible to inexperienced eyes, come the pirates, every one of them with their eyes peeled. The thing about Neverland pirates is, that they are all women. Hailing from Amazon Lily and all a part of the fierce Kuja tribe. They carry bows and spears, and their bodies gleam with paint and oil. Bringing up the rear, the place of greatest danger, comes Boa Hancock, standing tall, known across the island as the Snake Princess. They pass over fallen twigs without making the merest noise with the only sound to be heard, is their somewhat heavy breathing. The fact is that they are all a little fat just now after their intensive eating, but in time they will work this off. For the moment, however, it constitutes their chief danger.

The pirates disappear as they have come like shadows, and soon their place is taken by the beasts, a great and motley procession: lions, tigers, bears, and the myriad of smaller savage things that flee from them, for every kind of beast, and more particularly, all the man-eaters, live cheek by jowl on the favored island. Their tongues are hanging out, they are hungry tonight.

When they have passed the shore, a final figure emerges from the deep, a gigantic sea king.

The sea king passes, but soon the boys appear again, for the procession must continue indefinitely until one of the parties stops or changes its pace. Then quickly they will be on top of each other. Something Zoro is keenly aware of and works diligently to prevent, less Luffy scold him for his inattentiveness. None of them ever wished to be scolded by Luffy.

The first to fall out of the loop was the boys. They flung themselves down on the ground, close to their treehouse home.

"I do wish Luffy would come back," every one of them said nervously, yet all but one in height and still more in broadness they were all larger than their captain. Now understand that they feared not for their captain's safety, but for their own. The island was much darker and fierce when Luffy was gone…the games more serious and the dangers more life threatening.

"Am I the only one who is not afraid of the marines?" Usopp said, in the tone that prevented his being a general favorite; but perhaps some distant sound disturbed him, for he added hastily, "but I wish he would come back, and tell us whether he has heard anything more about Skypiea."

While they talked they heard a distant sound. At once the lost boys took off. Rabbits could not have disappeared more quickly.

With the exception of Sanji, who has darted away to look for some fruits, they are already in their home high up in the canopy, a very delightful residence. But how have they reached it, for there is no entrance to be seen. Look closely, however, and you may note that there are several large vines hanging from those tall trees. These are the access points to the home above, for which Smoker has been searching in vain these many moons. Will he find it tonight?

* * *

As the marines advanced, the quick eye of Tashigi sighted Sanji disappearing through the wood, and at once her pistol flashed out. But an iron claw gripped her shoulder.

"Captain, let go!" she cried.

Now Smoker speaks. "Put back that pistol first," he said threateningly.

"It was one of those boys you hate. I could have shot him dead."

"Aye, and the sound would have brought Boa Hancock's pirates upon us. Do you want to lose your hide?"

"Shall I go after him, Captain?" asked an apathetic Tashigi.

"Not now, Tashigi," Smoker said darkly. "He is only one, and I want to destroy all seven. Scatter and look for them."

The marines disappeared among the trees, and in a moment their Captain and Tashigi were alone and Smoker heaved a heavy sigh.

Soon Smoker began to speak. "Most of all," Smoker said passionately, "I want their leader, Monkey D. Luffy. I know he stole those boys away from their homes to bring them here. After chasing him for so long he managed to get the drop on me one time when he cut off my arm." He brandished the hook threateningly.

"Luffy flung my arm," he said, wincing, "to a sea king that happened to be passing by."

"I have often," said Tashigi, "noticed your strange avoidance of sea kings."

"Not of sea kings," Smoker corrected her, "but of that one sea king." He lowered his voice. "It liked my arm so much, Tashigi, that it has followed me ever since, from across the seas, licking its lips for the rest of me."

"In a way," said Tashigi, "it's sort of a compliment."

"I want no such compliments," Smoker barked petulantly. "I want Monkey D. Luffy, who first gave the serpent its taste for me."

He sat down on a large tree stump, and now there was a quiver in his voice. "Tashigi," he said huskily, "that sea king would have had me before this, but by a lucky chance it swallowed a clock which continues to tick-tock inside it, and so before it can reach me I hear the tick and bolt." He laughed, but in a hollow way.

"After I'm rid of Monkey D. Luffy, I'll lure that sea king into a trap and we'll eat well for a month. Then I'll be rid of both my problems and we can leave this cursed island."

He pulled on a vine to raise up from his seat, only to have a rope ladder fall upon his head. Quickly shushing Tashigi's inquiries, they were rewarded with what sounded like movement in the trees above them.

There came also children's voices, for so safe did the boys feel in their home that they were busily chattering. The marines listened grimly, they looked around them and noted the vines dangling from the trees.

"Did you hear them say Monkey D. Luffy's come home?" Tashigi whispered, fidgeting with her sword.

Smoker nodded. He stood for a long time lost in thought, and at last a curdling smile lit up his swarthy face. Tashigi had been waiting for it. "Unveil your plan, Captain," she cried eagerly.

"Return to the ship," Smoker replied slowly through his teeth, "and cook a large rich cake of a grand thickness with poisoned green sugar on it. We will leave the cake on the shore of the Mermaids' Lagoon. These boys are always swimming about there, playing with the mermaids. Surely, they will find the cake and devour it." He burst into laughter, "We will see how clever these boys really are."

Luffy was such a small boy that one tends to wonder at the man's hatred of him. True he had flung Smoker's arm to the sea king, but even this and the increased insecurity of life to which it led, owing to the sea king's persistence, hardly account for a vindictiveness so relentless and malignant. The truth is that there was something about Luffy which goaded the marine captain to obsession. It was not his courage, it was not his engaging appearance, it was not -. There is no beating about the bush, for we know quite well what it was, and have got to tell. It was Luffy's cockiness.

Tashigi had listened with growing admiration. Another sound broke in and stilled them. There was at first such an insignificant sound that a leaf might have fallen on it and smothered it, but as it came nearer it was more distinct.

 _Tick tock, tick tock!_

Smoker stood, one foot in the air.

"The sea king!" he gasped and bounded away, followed by Tashigi.

It was indeed the sea king. It had ignored the other marines, who were returning to their base for the evening. It drifted along the shore after Smoker.

* * *

Once more the boys emerged into the open; drawn out by Sanji's excited cry.

"I have seen a marvelous thing," he cried, as they gathered round him eagerly. "A great bird. It is flying this way."

"Do you have any idea what kind of bird it is?"

"I don't know," Sanji said, awestruck, "but it looks so weary, and as it flies it moans, 'Poor Robin,'"

"Poor Robin?" the group questioned.

"I remember," said Brook instantly, "there are birds called Robins."

"Here it comes!" cried Usopp, pointing to Robin in the clouds.

Robin was now almost overhead, and they could hear her plaintive cry.

"Robin is quite a large bird, I've not seen such a bird in Neverland before," Chopper cried excitedly.

"Do you think that Luffy brought it back with him?" pondered Franky aloud.

"Well, that's how you all ended up here, so it wouldn't surprise me if he started bringing animals back too. It's been a while since we've had any newcomers," Zoro stated sounding irritated. Of course he would never admit that he appreciated the company when Luffy left for long periods of time.

"I wonder if Robins taste good?" questioned Usopp.

* * *

Obviously, the boys were proven wrong when not a bird, but a girl appeared before them...accompanied by both Luffy and Nami.

"Lost boys, this is Robin. She will be joining us now…the first lost girl," Luffy turned to Robin, who curtsied for her new family.

Shock shown on Sanji's face before he spoke, "But Luffy…girls can't be lost. They are much too clever."

Both Usopp and Chopper nodded their heads in agreement. Franky was hardly interested in this new person, seeing as she hadn't given his latest invention a second glance, while Zoro had already turned around to go back to the treehouse. He was irritated at being interrupted as he prepared for his late evening nap. Brook appeared and requested to see the girls underwear, earning him the wrath of both Nami and Sanji…as he was given strange and horrified looks by the others.

"Now, I think we know why you were really in that boat all alone," murmured Usopp.

Luffy burst into laughter and soon the whole group had joined in…the tension leaving the area and Robin feeling much more comfortable in her new home.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. R&R Thanks!

 **ORIGINAL POSTING DATE:** July 20, 2016

 **WORD COUNT** : 2,689


	5. The Mermaids' Lagoon

Thank you so much Everlight18 for continuing to read and review! I wasn't sure who was going to be my Hook, till I read about him some and that whole double cigar thing reminded me of Smoker and along with his obsession with Luffy made me feel like he was the perfect fit. I'm projecting Luffy to be somewhere in that 10-12 age range, though he has no idea how old he really is, the others have made these assumptions based on how he acts and his size. I think the pirates go after the boys cause I'm sure they are up to a lot mischief...pulling pranks and such on them, led by Luffy.

* * *

 _ _I am a creature of the Fey,  
Prepare to give your soul away,  
My spell is passion and it is art,  
My song can bind a human heart,  
And if you chance to know my face,  
My hold shall be your last embrace.  
__-Heather Alexander

 ** **Chapter 5: The Mermaids' Lagoon****

Mermaids are beautiful, envious creatures who would as soon drown you as to have anything to do with you.

Adventures were a daily occurrence; but Luffy devised, with Robin's help, a new game that fascinated him enormously, until he suddenly had no more interest in it, which was what always happened with his games. The most recent one consisted in pretending not to have adventures, sitting on stools flinging balls in the air, pushing each other around, going out for walks and managing to come back without having killed so much as a grizzly. To see Luffy doing nothing while sitting on a stool was a great sight; he could not help but look solemn at times, to sit still seemed to him such a comic thing to do. For several moons these were the most intriguing of all adventures to him.

He would often venture out alone, and when he came back you were never absolutely certain whether he had been on an adventure or not. He might have forgotten it so completely that he said nothing about it; and then when you went out you found the body or he might say a great deal about it, and yet you could not find the body. It was said that there was a flower on the island whose fragrance could steal your memories, the Lily Carnation. It was a most beautiful flower, but dangerous as it often stole your memories of having smelled it, thus preventing you from avoiding it in the future.

There were, many adventures which Robin knew to be true because she was in them herself, and there were still others that were at least somewhat true, for the boys were in them and said they were entirely true. To describe them all would require a book as large as a dictionary, and the most we can do is to give one as an example of an average afternoon on the island. The difficulty is which one to choose. Should we take the brush with the pirates at Little Garden? It was a cheerful affair, and especially interesting as showing one of Luffy's peculiarities, which was that in the middle of a fight he would suddenly change sides. At the Garden, when victory was still hanging in the balance, he called out, "I'm a pirate today; what are you, Chopper?" And Chopper answered, "Pirate; what are you, Sanji?" and Sanji said, "Pirate; what are you Franky?" and so on; and they were all pirates; and of course this would have ended the fight had not the real pirates intrigued by Luffy's methods, agreed to be the lost boys for that one time, and so the battle was renewed once again, more fiercely than ever.

Perhaps a better one would be the night attack by the marines on the treehouse, when several of them became stuck in the hollow trees and had to be pulled out like corks. Or we might tell how Luffy saved Boa Hancock's life in the Mermaids' Lagoon, and so made her his ally.

Or we could tell of that cake the marines cooked so that the boys might eat it and perish; and how they placed it in one cunning spot after another; but Robin always snatched it from the hands of the boys, so that in time it lost its moist texture, and became as hard as a stone.

Which of these amazing adventures shall we choose to dive into first? The best way will be a coin toss.

The lagoon has won the toss. This almost makes one wish that the Garden or the cake or the night attack had won.

* * *

The children often spent long summer days at this lagoon, swimming or floating most of the time, playing the mermaid games in the water, and so forth. Unfortunately though, this did not mean that the mermaids were on friendly terms with them. When Robin stole softly to the edge of the lagoon she might see them by the score, especially on Red Rock, where they loved to bask, or she might even swim to within a yard of them, but then they saw her and dived, purposefully splashing her with their tails. Tales told of an evil sea witch who had bewitched the mermaids when she took over their underwater city, turning them petty and deceptive.

They treated all the boys in the same way, except of course Luffy, who chatted with them on Red Rock by the hour, and sat on their tails when they got cheeky. He gave Robin a comb, encrusted with beautiful gems he received as a gift from the mermaid princess Shirahoshi.

She was often at the lagoon alone, however, on sunny days after rain, the other mermaids came up in extraordinary numbers to play with their bubbles. They treated the multicolored bubbles made in rainbow water as balls, hitting them from one to another with their tails, and trying to keep them in the rainbow till they burst. The goals were at each end of the rainbow, and only the keepers were allowed to use their hands. Sometimes a dozen of these games will be going on in the lagoon at a time, and it is quite a breathtaking sight.

But the moment the children tried to join in they had to play by themselves, for the mermaids immediately disappeared. Nevertheless we have proof that they secretly watched the intruders, and were not above taking an idea from them; for Usopp introduced a new way of hitting the bubble, with his head instead of a hand, and the mermaids adopted it. Though purely by accident, this is the one mark that Usopp has left on Neverland.

It was one such day, they were all on Red Rock, and they were dozing, or at least lying with their eyes shut, and pinching occasionally when they thought Robin was not looking. She was very busy, reading.

While she read, a change came to the lagoon. Little shivers ran over it, and the sun went away and shadows stole across the water, turning it cold. Robin could no longer see to turn the page, and when she looked up, the lagoon that had always been such a laughing place seemed formidable and unfriendly.

It was well for those boys then that there was one among them who could sniff danger even in his sleep. Luffy sprang up, and with one warning cry he roused the others.

He stood motionless, one hand to his ear.

"Marines!" he cried. The others came closer to him. A strange smile was playing about his face, the others saw it and shuddered. While that smile was on his face no one dared address him; all they could do was to stand ready to obey. The order came sharp and decisive.

"Dive!"

There was a gleam of legs, and instantly the lagoon seemed deserted. Red Rock stood alone in the forbidding waters as if it were itself marooned.

The boat drew closer. It was the marine dinghy, with three figures in her, Tashigi and Hina, and the third a captive, no other than Boa Hancock. Her hands and ankles were tied, and she knew what was to be her fate. She was to be left on the rock to perish, an end to one of her tribe more terrible than death by fire, torture or in the heat of battle; for a princess of the Kuja tribe to be treated so by other women was unheard of. Yet her face was impassive; she was the Pirate Empress after all, if she must die as such, it is enough.

They had caught her boarding the marine ship with a knife in her mouth. Her goal to slit the throat of the man who dared to invade her island. No watch was kept on the ship, it being Smoker's boast that wind of his name guarded the ship for a mile around. Now her fate would help to guard it also.

In the gloom that they brought with them the two marines did not see the rock till they crashed into it.

"Dammit," cried a voice that was Tashigi's; "Here's the rock. Now, then, what we have to do is to hoist the pirate on to it and leave her here to drown."

Quite near the rock, but out of sight, two heads were bobbing up and down, Luffy's and Robin's. He was less sorry than Robin for Boa Hancock: it was two against one that angered him, and he meant to save her. An easy way would have been to wait until the marines had gone, but he was never one to choose the easy way.

There was almost nothing he could not do, so he now imitated the voice of Smoker.

"Ahoy there, you lubbers!" he called. It was a marvelous imitation.

"The captain!" said the marines, staring at each other in surprise.

"He must be swimming out to us," Hina said, when they had looked for him in vain.

"We are putting the pirate on the rock," Tashigi called out.

"Set her free," came the astonishing answer.

"Free!"

"Yes, cut the ropes which bind her and let her go."

"But, captain - "

"At once, ya hear," cried Luffy, "or I'll plunge my hook in you."

"This is irrational!" Tashigi gasped.

"Hina thinks you better do as the captain orders," said Hina nervously.

"Aye, aye." Tashigi said, and she cut Boa Hancock's cords. At once she slid down the rock, into the water.

Of course Robin was very elated over Luffy's cleverness; but she knew that he would be elated also and very likely laugh out loud and thus betray himself, so at once her hand went out to cover his mouth. But it was stayed even in the act, for "Boat ahoy!" rang over the lagoon in Smoker's voice, and this time it was not Luffy who had spoken.

Luffy may have been about to laugh, but his face puckered in a whistle of surprise instead.

"Boat ahoy!" again came the voice.

Now Robin understood. The real Smoker was also in the water.

He was swimming to the boat, and as his subordinates showed a light to guide him, he had soon reached them. In the light of the lantern Robin saw his hook grip the boat's side; she saw his evil swarthy face as he rose dripping from the water, and she would have liked to swim away, but Luffy would not budge.

He signaled for to her to listen.

"Captain, is all well?" they asked timidly.

"Where is the pirate?" he demanded abruptly.

He had a playful humor at moments, and they thought this was one of the moments.

"That is all right, captain," Tashigi answered complacently; "we let her go."

"Let her go!" cried Smoker.

"'Twas your own orders," the marine faltered.

"Hina heard you call over the water to us to let her go," said Hina.

"Ladies," he said, shaking a little, "I gave no such order."

"Spirit that haunts this dark lagoon tonight," he cried, "do you hear me?"

Of course Luffy should have kept quiet, but of course he did not. He immediately answered in Smoker's voice:

"Odds, ends, hammer and tongs, I hear you."

"Who are you, stranger? Speak!" Smoker demanded.

"I am Smoker," replied the voice, "captain of the marines."

"You are not," Smoker cried hoarsely.

"You call me a liar," the voice retorted, "say that again, and I'll string you up."

Smoker tried a more ingratiating manner. "If you are Smoker," he said almost humbly, "come tell me, who am I?"

"A codfish," replied the voice, "only a codfish."

"A codfish!" Smoker echoed blankly. He saw the women draw back from him.

"Have we been captained all this time by a codfish!" they muttered. "It is most damaging to our pride."

In his dark nature there was a touch of the feminine, as in all the great marines, and it sometimes gave him intuitions. Suddenly he tried the guessing game.

"Smoker," he called, "have you another voice?"

Now Luffy could never resist a game, and he answered blithely in his own voice, "I have."

"And another name?"

"Aye, aye."

"Vegetable?" asked Smoker.

"No."

"Mineral?"

"No."

"Animal?"

"Yes."

"Man?"

"No!" This answer rang out scornfully.

"Boy?"

"Yes."

"Ordinary boy?"

"No!"

"Special boy?"

To Robin's pain the answer that rang out this time was "Yes."

"Are you in Alabasta?"

"No."

"Are you here?"

"Yes."

Smoker was completely puzzled. "You ask him some questions," he said to the others, wiping his damp brow.

Tashigi reflected. "I can't think of a thing," she said regretfully.

"Can't guess, can't guess!" taunted Luffy. "Do you give it up?"

Of course in his pride he was carrying the game too far, and the marines saw their chance.

"Yes, yes," they answered eagerly.

"Well, then," he cried, "I am Monkey D. Luffy."

 _Luffy!_

In a moment Smoker was himself again, and Tashigi and Hina were his faithful followers.

"Now we have him," Smoker shouted. "Into the water, Tashigi. Hina, mind the boat. Take him dead or alive!"

He leapt as he spoke, and simultaneously came the happy voice of Luffy.

"Are you ready, boys?"

"Aye, aye," from various parts of the lagoon.

"Then charge into the marines."

The fight was short and sharp. First to draw blood was Zoro, who gallantly climbed into the boat and held back Hina. There was a fierce struggle, in which the cutlass was torn from the marine's grasp. She wriggled overboard and Zoro leapt after her. The dinghy drifted away. Farther from the rock, Tashigi was pressing Brook and Sanji hard. Quickly, the group moved farther away from where Robin was, still clinging to the rock.

 _Where all this time was Luffy? He was seeking bigger game._

Strangely, it was not in the water that they met. Smoker rose to the rock to breathe, and at the same moment Luffy scaled it on the opposite side. The rock was slippery as an eel, and they had to crawl rather than climb. Neither knew that the other was coming. Each feeling for a grip met the other's arm: in surprise they raised their heads; their faces were almost touching; so they met.

Some of the greatest heroes have confessed that just before they began combat they had a sinking feeling in pit of their stomach. But Luffy had no sinking, only gladness; and he gnashed his pretty teeth with joy. Quick as thought he snatched a dagger from Smoker's belt and was about to drive it home, when he saw that he was higher up the rock that his foe. It would not have been fighting fair. He gave the marine a hand to help him up.

It was then that Smoker struck him.

Not the pain of this, but its unfairness was what dazed Luffy. So when he met it now, he could just stare, helpless. Luffy quickly regained his composure, an unfathomable anger at how Smoker was ruining the game reflected in dark eyes. Standing at his full height, which was barely half of Smoker's impressive stature, Luffy drew back into an attack stance that Zoro had taught him early on. He rarely used the tactics that were taught to him, but his body seemed to move of it's own accord. Muscle memory taking over his actions as he followed through with his attack. The blood roared so furiously in his ears that he almost missed the sound that made Smoker's own wary eyes widen in unconcealed terror.

 _Tick tock, tick tock!_

A few moments afterwards the other boys saw Smoker in the water swimming wildly for the ship; the sea king in pursuit of him. On ordinary occasions the boys would have swum alongside cheering; but now they were uneasy, for they had lost both Luffy and Robin, and were scouring the lagoon for them, calling them by name. Though a thick fog had rolled in and it was getting close to high tide, making searching any longer unwise. They found the dinghy and went home in it, shouting "Luffy, Robin" as they went, but no answer came save mocking laughter from the mermaids. "They must be swimming back or flying," the boys concluded. They were not very anxious, because they had such faith in Luffy.

When their voices died away there came cold silence over the lagoon, and then a feeble cry.

"Help, help!"

Two small figures were beating against the rock; the girl had fainted and lay on the boy's arm. With a last effort he pulled her up the rock and then lay down beside her. He knew that they would soon be drowned, but he could do no more. His wounds were bleeding and the adrenaline from the battle was waning. Frankly, he was exhausted and hungry.

Steadily the waters rose till they were nibbling at their feet; and to pass the time until they made their final gulp, they watched the only thing on the lagoon. Robin thought it was a piece of floating paper, perhaps part of a kite, and wondered idly how long it would take to drift ashore.

The rock was very small now; soon it would be submerged. Pale rays of light tiptoed across the waters; and by and by there was to be heard a sound at once the most musical and the most melancholy in the world: the celestial mermaids calling to the rising moon.

Luffy was not quite like other boys; but he was afraid at last. A tremor ran through him, like a shudder passing over the sea; but on the sea one shudder follows another till there are hundreds of them, and Luffy felt just the one. Next moment he was standing erect on the rock again, with that smile on his face and a drum beating within him. It was saying, "To die will be an awfully big adventure."

As we know, such a sacrifice was unnecessary as Boa Hancock arrived on a small ship with several of her pirate sisters. They scooped Robin and Luffy off of the rock before it submerged and delivered them both safely to shore after they made sure their injuries were tended to.

* * *

 **ORIGINAL POSTING DATE:** July 26,2016

 **WORD COUNT:** 3,043


	6. Allies

_"There is only one thing worse than fighting with allies, and that is fighting without them."_  
 _― Winston S. Churchill_

 **Chapter 6: Allies**

One important result of the brush with the marines at the lagoon was that it made the pirates their friends. Luffy had saved Boa Hancock from a dreadful fate, and now there was nothing she and her pirates would not do for him. All night they sat below, keeping watch over the treehouse and awaiting the big attack by the marines which obviously could not be delayed much longer.

Luffy would say to them in a very uninterested manner, "I'm glad to see the Kuja warriors protecting my home from the marines."

"I'm Boa Hancock," that lovely creature would reply. "Monkey D. Luffy saved me, we shall marry and one day he will be the Pirate King. I'll not let the marines hurt him.

Luffy cringed at her declaration, but deemed it not worth his time to argue, "The future holds no guarantees, Hancock. We shall see in due time." She would preen over his usage of her first name and spend hours muttering to herself and blushing.

It was now the evening that was to be known among them as the Night of Nights, because of the adventures that occurred the following day. The day, as if quietly gathering its forces, had been almost uneventful, and now the pirates in their blankets were at their posts below, while, above, the children were having their evening meal; all except Luffy, who had gone out to get the time. The way you got the time on the island was to find the sea king, and then stay near him till the clock struck.

The meal happened to be a typical Neverland feast brought about by the magic that seemed to follow Luffy. Empty bowls were suddenly full of brightly colored foods as delicious smells permeated the air. Though Sanji was their official chef, he generally made the group snacks and interesting drinks found on the island or prepared a sea king if Luffy happened to come across one during his time out and about. The group sat, devouring in their greed; the noise, what with their chatter and recriminations was positively deafening. There was a fixed rule that they must never hit back at meals, but should refer the matter of dispute to Robin by raising their right arm politely and saying, "I complain of so-and-so;" but what usually happened was that they forgot to do this or did it too much.

* * *

"Silence," cried Robin when for the twentieth time she had told them that they were not all to speak at once. "Is your mug empty, Brook?"

"Not quite empty," Brook said, after looking into his mug.

"He hasn't even begun to drink his milk," Sanji interposed.

This was telling, and Brook seized his chance.

"I complain of Sanji," he cried promptly.

Zoro, however, had held up his hand first.

"Well, Zoro?"

"Do we have any booze, instead of milk?"

This was grumbling. "I complain of Zoro," cried Franky.

Chopper said, "Do you think I could be a swordsman?"

"No," replied Zoro; "it's awfully difficult to be a swordsman."

The hateful telling broke out again.

"Brook is coughing on the table."

"Sanji began with cheese-cakes."

"Usopp is taking both butter and honey."

"Zoro is speaking with his mouth full."

"I complain of Franky."

"I complain of Usopp."

"I complain of Sanji."

There was a step above, and Robin, you may be sure, was the first to recognize it.

"Boys, I hear Luffy's return."

He had brought sweets swiped from the marines camp for the boys as well as the correct time for Robin.

"Luffy, you just spoil them, you know," Robin giggled.

They sang and danced in their night-clothes as they celebrated his return. Such a deliciously creepy song it was, in which they pretended to be frightened at their own shadows. So uproariously fun was the dance, and how they buffeted each other on the bed and out of it! It was a pillow fight rather than a dance, and when it was finished, the pillows insisted on one bout more, like partners who know that they may never meet again. The stories they told, even Chopper tried to tell a story that night, but the beginning was so fearfully dull that it appalled not only the others but himself, and he said happily:

"Yes, it is a dull beginning. I say, let us pretend that it is the end."

* * *

The evening moved swiftly along from that point. Luffy, Usopp and Chopper sat down for a game of cards by candlelight. Soon it developed into a game of tag, when Usopp accused Luffy of cheating and knowing he was guilty, refused to let the others see his cards.

Sanji and Zoro were off in a corner arguing as they tended to do. Luffy had told Robin early on that they were so alike and that is what caused them to clash so much. Of course the two of them continued to vehemently deny such a thing was possible, which only made Luffy laugh.

Brook sang a soothing song to help everyone relax and get ready for bed while Franky fixed the bed that had seen better days before their destructive pillow fight.

Nami sat tucked away in her little fairy house that Luffy had helped build for her during their early days together...before the boys came along.

Robin sat in the large rocking chair next to the window, looking outside to the stars that shown down upon Neverland. She had spent many nights pointing out constellations with her mother in Ohara...but the star patterns here were nothing that she had ever seen. Luffy had explained that time ran differently in Neverland and the stars above their heads were centuries older than the ones Robin was used to seeing.

Soon they were all gathered at the large window, pointing out clusters of stars and giving them ridiculous names...each a reflection of who they were and what time they came from. There were samurai swords, all types of food, musical instruments, books, sea kings, the fairy queen, mechanical creations that only Franky understood, fierce battles with marines and finally their treehouse home.

* * *

 **ORIGINAL POSTING DATE:** August 3, 2016

 **WORDS:** 1,025


	7. Straw-hat

Thank you so much for the reviews Cataquack Warrior! The idea of this was so strong, that I rushed to get it all out, but you've definitely given me some ideas on how to improve the story. I really appreciate the point of view and more so since you seem familiar with the original work. I was also a bit disappointed when I got to this chapter and realized there was very little Nami in it at this point. Especially after the most recent Neverland movie.

So there will be one, maybe two more chapters after this. They will be unique from the original story so it will be a bit longer before I post. Then I'm going to work on revamping some of this story...maybe add a chapter about the fairies...not sure if I want it in here or as a separate one-shot. Please keep the reviews coming. I'm completely open to any suggestions to make my story better, as sometimes tunnel vision keeps me from seeing a bigger picture. Thanks!

* * *

 _"Fear is not evil. It tells you what you weakness is. And once you know your weakness, you can become stronger as well as kinder."_ \- Gildarts

 ** **Chapter 7: Straw-hat****

The next afternoon, Luffy remained behind as the others went on a walk. He had gorged himself at meal time and his extended stomach begged for rest as he laid down for a nap.

Nearby, Smoker waited as the others disappeared through the brush before making his way towards the treehouse. However, he was unsure if the house was empty but was prepared to take a chance.

On the bed above, lay Luffy fast asleep. Unaware of the tragedy about to occur, Luffy had continued, for a little time after the children left, to play fight with the practice dummy. Then he lay down on the bed outside the coverlet, laughed a haughty laugh and fell asleep in the middle of it.

Sometimes, though not often, he had dreams, and they were more painful than the dreams of other boys. For hours he could not be separated from these dreams. They had to do, I think, with the riddle of his existence. But on this occasion he had fallen at once into a dreamless sleep. One arm dropped over the edge of the bed, one leg was arched, and the unfinished part of his laugh was stranded on his mouth, which was open, showing the little pearls. His precious straw-hat, which was placed upon a nail, was caught by the wind and blown out a nearby window to land on the ground below.

Having spent some time in thought on the subject, Smoker decided there was no way of knowing if the house was empty, save by going up. Smoker let his cloak slip softly to the ground, and then biting his lips till a lewd blood stood on them, he stepped under the tree. He prepared himself to ascend to the top of the tree when an interesting sight caught his attention. There sitting upon the ground, was the infamous straw-hat belonging to the flying fairy child himself.

Smoker decided at that moment that the best course of action would be to lure Monkey D. Luffy to him. Then he could prepare a trap and have the rapscallion in his clutches. He would pay for his wrongdoings and then Smoker could leave this island. Smoker clutched the hat to his chest, then with one long gloating look he cast upon the treehouse, he turned back to his discarded cloak. He wound his cloak around himself, holding one end in front as if to conceal his person from the late afternoon sun and muttering strangely to himself, stole away through the trees.

Luffy slept on. The light burned to edges and went out, leaving the tenement in darkness; but still he slept. It must have been not less than four o'clock by the sea king, when he suddenly sat up in his bed, wakened by he knew not what. Cautiously, he looked around the room, his gaze finally resting on the last place he remembered seeing his hat. He placed both hands on his head, feeling for the familiar weight and not finding it; drug his hands down his face to where the string usually rested around his neck...only to find it bare also.

Quickly, the dark aura of Smoker registered in Luffy's mind and then he was off, quickly shooting across the sky towards the shore.

* * *

Odd things happen to all of us on our way through life without our noticing for a time that they have happened. When last we saw Luffy, he was stealing across the island with one finger to his lips and his dagger at the ready. He had seen the sea king pass by without noticing anything odd about it, but by and by he remembered that it had not been ticking. At first he thought this strange, but soon decided that the clock had run down.

Without giving a thought to what might be the feelings of a fellow-creature thus abruptly deprived of its closest companion, Luffy began to consider how he could turn the disaster to his own use; and he decided to tick, so that wild beasts would believe he was the sea king and let him pass unimpeded. He ticked superbly, but with one unforeseen result. The sea king was among those who heard the sound, and it followed him, though whether with the purpose of regaining what it had lost, or merely as a friend under the belief that it was again ticking itself, will never be known for certain.

Luffy reached the shore without incident, and went straight on, his legs encountering the water as if quite unaware that they had entered a new element. Thus many animals pass from land to water, but no other human of whom I know. As he swam he had but one thought: _I will have my hat back._ He had ticked so long that he now went on ticking without knowing that he was doing it. Had he known he would have stopped, for to board the ship by help of the tick, though an ingenious idea, had not occurred to him.

On the contrary, he thought he had scaled her side as noiseless as a mouse; and he was amazed to see the marines cowering from him, with Smoker in their midst as abject as if he had heard the sea king.

The sea king! No sooner did Luffy remember it than he heard the ticking. At first he thought the sound did come from the sea king, and he looked behind him swiftly. They he realized that he was doing it himself, and in a flash he understood the situation. _How clever of me!_ he thought at once.

None too soon, Luffy, every inch of him on tiptoe, vanished into the cabin; for more than one marine was drawing up their courage to look round. They could hear each others distressed breathing now, which showed them that the more terrible sound had passed.

"It's gone, captain," Tashigi said, wiping off her glasses. "All's quiet again."

Slowly Smoker let his head emerge from his ruff, and listened so intently that he could have caught the echo of the tick. There was not a sound, and he drew himself up firmly to his full height.

Then was heard a laughing sound from within the cabin, which to the marines was most peculiar.

"What was that?" cried Smoker.

"Has some creature stowed aboard the ship?" inquired Tashigi.

"Hina thinks someone should investigate," growled Hina, and the others took up the cry.

"I think I heard you volunteer, Hina," said Smoker.

"Hina said no such thing!" Hina cried.

"My hook thinks you did," said Smoker, crossing to her. "I wonder if it would not be advisable, Hina, to humor the hook?"

"Captain, mercy!" Hina whimpered, all of a tremble now.

Seizing a lantern and raising his claw with a menacing gesture, "I'll bring out the creature myself," he said, and sped into the cabin.

Smoker came staggering out, without his lantern. "Something blew out the light," he said a little unsteadily.

"Something!" echoed Hina.

His reluctance to return to the cabin impressed them all unfavorably, and mutinous sounds broke forth. All marines are superstitious, and Tashigi cried, "They do say the surest sign a ship's cursed is when there's one on board more than can be accounted for."

"Hina's heard," muttered Hina, "he always boards the pirate craft last. Had he a tail, captain?"

"They say," said another, looking viciously at Smoker, "that when he comes it's in the likeness of the wickedest man aboard."

"Had he a hook, captain?" asked Tashigi insolently; and one after another took up the cry, "The ship's doomed!"

"Now, listen!" cried Smoker, and all listened. But not one dared to face the door. Yes, one, Nami Bell, who all this time had been following Luffy. It was for neither a scream nor a laugh that she was watching, it was for the reappearance of Luffy.

She had not long to wait. In the cabin he had found the thing for which he had gone in search: the precious straw-hat given to him by the last pirate crew to visit Neverland, Shanks Red-Haired pirates. Now he stole forth, armed with such weapons as he could find. Then he took a great breath and laughed.

To the marines it was a voice crying and they were panic-stricken. Smoker tried to hearten them; but like the dogs he had made them they showed him their fangs, and he knew that if he took his eyes off them now they would leap at him.

"Mates," he said, ready to cajole or strike as need be, but never quailing for an instant, "I've thought it out. There's a fairy aboard. Most likely Monkey D. Luffy's."

"Never was luck on a ship with a creature of the Fae on board. We'll right the ship when she's gone."

The marines ran around the ship looking for the small fairy woman. Smoker suspected she was there on behalf of Straw-hat and that if he captured her also, he would have twice the incentive for Luffy to come to him.

Nami let herself be known long enough for Luffy to attempt to escape the cabin unnoticed.

Thus suddenly Smoker found himself face to face with Luffy. The others drew back and formed a ring around them.

For long the two enemies looked at one another, Smoker wore a serious expression, and Luffy with a strange smile upon his face.

"So, Smoker," said Luffy at last, "this is all your doing."

"Aye, Straw-hat" came the stern answer, "it is all my doing."

"Dark and sinister man," Luffy answered, "have at thee."

"Proud and insolent youth," said Smoker, "prepare to meet thy doom."

Without more words they fell to, and for a space there was no advantage to either blade. Luffy was a superb swordsman, and parried with dazzling rapidity; ever and anon he followed up a feint with a lunge that got past his foe's defense, but his shorter reach stood him in ill stead, and he could not drive the steel home. Smoker, scarcely his inferior in brilliancy, but not quite so nimble in wrist play, forced him back by the weight of his onset, hoping suddenly to end all with a favorite thrust; but to his astonishment he found this thrust turned aside again and again. Then he sought to close and give the quietus with his iron hook, which all this time had been pawing the air; but Luffy doubled under it and, lunging fiercely, pierced him in the ribs. At the sight of his own blood, the sword fell from Smoker's hand, and he was at Luffy's mercy.

"Now!" came the tinkling call from Nami, but with a magnificent gesture Luffy invited his opponent to pick up his sword. Smoker did so instantly, but with a tragic feeling that Luffy was showing good form.

Up till now he had thought it was some fiend fighting him, but darker suspicions assailed him now.

"Straw-hat, who and what are you?" he cried huskily.

"I'm youth, I'm joy," Luffy answered at a venture, "I'm a little bird that has broken out of the egg."

This, of course, was nonsense; but it was proof to the unhappy Smoker that Luffy did not know in the least who or what he was, which is the very pinnacle of good form.

He fought now like a human flail, and every sweep of that terrible sword would have severed in twain any man or boy who obstructed it; but Luffy fluttered round him as if the very wind it made blew him out of the danger zone. And again and again he darted in and pricked.

Smoker was fighting now without hope. That passionate breast no longer asked for life; but for one boon it craved: to see Luffy show bad form before it was cold forever.

Abandoning the fight he rushed into the powder magazine and lit it.

"In two minutes," he cried, "the ship will be blown to pieces."

Now, now, he thought, true form will show.

But Luffy issued from the powder magazine with the shell in his hands, and calmly flung it overboard.

What sort of form was Smoker himself showing? Perhaps Straw-hat was not the underhanded youth that Smoker had been led to believe? What if instead of stealing away those other boys, he had saved them from some unfortunate end? It would only then make sense that the island worked to protect Luffy not out of fear, but out of gratitude and loyalty. So many questions swam in Smoker's head, he had to fight back the dizziness that threatened to overcome him.

Seeing Luffy quickly advancing upon him through the air with dagger poised, he found himself backed up against the wall of the ship. "You cowardly codfish! Be gone from Neverland and don't ever return." Panicked and confused, Smoker took off in the rowboat…the sea king hot on his trail.

Thus Luffy's dealings with Smoker ended.

* * *

I really feel like this demonstrates Luffy and Smoker's actual relationship pretty well. Smoker wants to hate Luffy because of what he is, but time and again he is shown that what Luffy is doesn't determine what he does and I think that confuses Smoker so much.

 **ORIGINAL POSTING DATE:** August 10, 2016

 **WORDS:** 2,165


End file.
